1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to a spacer gauge for use with a machine tool having a stroke limiting apparatus with a movable lug traveling along an elongated member and a stop device to limit the distance of travel. More particularly, the spacer gauge has a predetermined height to accurately gauge the distance of travel of the stroke limiting apparatus, and the side surface of the spacer gauge has an opening enabling the operator of the machine tool to rapidly interchange spacer gauges of different heights to control the distance of travel, thereby increasing productivity and consistency. The spacer gauge can also be used to elevate the work above a table upon which the work is placed for machining purposes, thereby allowing machining operations through the entire depth of the work and preventing damage to the table top.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In machining operations it is often necessary to control the depth of a bore or cut precisely, and the same workpiece may require bores having different depths, for instance counter sunk bores. To facilitate the machining operations, it is desirable to have means whereby the depth of the bore can be accurately set and readily changed during the course of production. Conventional milling machines, for instance the Mill Port Company milling machine, have incorporated a lower stop device on a threaded rod, which limits the distance of travel of a movable lug which travels along the threaded rod corresponding to the elevation of the spindle. In order to adjust the elevation of the stop device, it is necessary to rotably turn the stop device about the threaded rod thereby causing an incremental change in elevation corresponding to the number of rotations and the number of threads per inch. The rotational activation of the lower stop device is time consuming and inefficient when numerous changes in the depth of the bore or cut are required.